CHAPTER 233: CHAPTER 230: A LOSING BUSINESS

Third Master Du dispatched the household generals, then reached out to embrace Miss Lin, his face full of smug satisfaction.

Miss Lin hurriedly got up and handed a cup of hot tea to Third Master Du.

Third Master Du smiled and said, "Feeling comfortable now? Without Chen Family Village’s thread tassels, yours can be sold."

Miss Lin lowered her head shyly: "If it weren’t for Third Master taking care of me, I might really be schemed against by Xie Liangchen." Although she didn’t manage to marry Su Huaiqing, she was glad to meet Du Yi, and Xie Liangchen, despite using a myriad of means, might not manage to marry into the Su family.

"We still shouldn’t be careless," Miss Lin said, "Although some goods were lost, Xie Liangchen is full of tricks..." As Nanny Xu reminded her, if Third Master Du succeeded, she must advise him to follow up and strike while the iron is hot, lest Chen Family Village have a chance to breathe.

Miss Lin said, "When in Zhenzhou, Xie Liangchen somehow managed to ingratiate herself with Song Xian and even had Mr. Li from the Palace Department Commander speak for her."

"Just a farmer’s wife," Third Master Du’s eyes flashed with rebelliousness, "Could she possibly be more capable than the top card on the flower boat?"

Miss Lin was amused by the "flower boat top card" remark, her smile deepening: "In any case, merely burning some goods might not necessarily make her retreat."

Third Master Du thought carefully: "What method do you have?"

Miss Lin whispered: "What if Chen Family Village’s thread tassels aren’t good to use? Those shops that bought thread tassels will clamor for returns, losing so many goods and being forced to return the silver coin, what do you think will happen to Chen Family Village’s warehouse?"

Third Master Du pinched Miss Lin’s nose: "You really think it thoroughly. Since that’s the case, let’s do it this way. I’ll go make arrangements immediately."

Miss Lin left Third Master Du’s house and got into the carriage, looking at Nanny Xu: "Everything has been arranged."

Nanny Xu nodded repeatedly: "You truly are impressive."

"If we’re going to do it, let’s do it to perfection," Miss Lin said, "Finally meeting Xie Liangchen here, how could I let her off?"

...

Xingzhou warehouse.

Xie Liangchen and others reported the whole incident clearly at the government office, then returned to the warehouse to rest.

Early the next morning, Xie Liangchen and Chen Yongsheng counted the remaining goods.

Although Xie Liangchen had comforted the Tian Family Trading Team’s staff, the men were still urgent with red eyes.

The steward of the trading team said, "The trading team inevitably encounters these things, though goods were lost, no one was injured, it’s quite fortunate amidst misfortune."

Everyone understood this reasoning, and one staff looked at Miss Xie: "The lost goods were from Chen Family Village." The Tian Family Trading Team, during hard times, was thankfully assisted by Chen Family Village.

Mr. Tian always spoke of this, each time they transported goods from Chen Family Village, they were particularly careful, fearing any damage along the way.

Now, having burned so many and lost so many, what face do they have to meet the people from Chen Family Village?

The steward of the trading team said, "Without goods in Xingzhou now, we’ll have to prepare for two days then return to Zhenzhou to fetch the goods."

Hearing this, the staff’s mood improved slightly, when fetching goods again, even risking their lives, they would ensure the goods’ safe delivery to Xingzhou.

Xie Liangchen checked the accounts in the room.

Chen Yongsheng waited until Xie Liangchen put down the counting rod before saying: "How is it?"

Xie Liangchen said: "There are no issues with the accounts; during this period, thread tassels sold very well, Fourth Uncle left half the silver coin in the warehouse as we discussed before."

Chen Yongsheng breathed a sigh of relief, had it not been for the mountain bandits incident, he would be very happy, selling thread tassels proved Chen Family Village took a solid step.

"As for those mountain bandits," Chen Yongsheng said, "Will there be other actions later?"

Xie Liangchen didn’t ponder: "Surely there will, now burning some goods and taking some isn’t enough to achieve their goal."

Chen Yongsheng frowned: "What exactly do they want to do?"

Xie Liangchen said: "Princess Jiahui isn’t doing all this just to help the Du Family earn some silver coin, besides robbing goods, this time the bandits have also targeted you and me, trying to strike amidst chaos. Losing goods is different from loss of life, if Chen Family Village only loses these, they can recover later, haven’t we overcome the textile setback?

But if you and Uncle have an accident, it wouldn’t just involve Chen Family Village."

Chen Yongsheng’s mind was cleared: "You say Princess Jiahui wants to involve General Song? If we have an incident, General Song surely won’t disregard, no matter who secretly strikes, General Song will vindicate us."

Chen Yongsheng spoke naturally, but Xie Liangchen inexplicably recalled Song Xian’s different concerns for Chen Family Village; Song Xian will certainly do so, no doubt about it, the old and young in Chen Family Village think like Uncle.

As though, apart from Chen Family Village themselves, they trust Song Xian the most.

Chen Yongsheng said: "General Song will investigate the Du Family, thus causing conflict with the Sui State Du Family, Princess Jiahui wants General Song to make an enemy of the Du Family?"

Song Xian will indeed conflict with the Du Family because of Chen Family Village, but enmity... To Princess Jiahui, Chen Family Village probably doesn’t hold that significance, hence she would make other arrangements.

After speaking, Chen Yongsheng felt anxious: "What should we do then?"

Xie Liangchen smiled: "Business never looks at the moment alone, sometimes the more lost now, the more possibly gained later, especially some things aren’t exchangable for silver coin."

With Miss Chen in charge at Xingzhou, Chen Yongsheng felt they could overcome any greater difficulty.

After a busy day, Xie Liangchen closed the accounts and went to the room to rest, watching Xie Liangchen’s figure retreat into the inner courtyard, Chen Yongsheng finally relaxed, if not knowing General Song sent someone to protect Miss Chen, he would surely be guarding with a stick at the yard entrance.

Chen Yongsheng thought about encountering mountain bandits on the road; Miss Chen had learned boxing and kicking from him early, knowing these would be useful in urgent times, yet he didn’t expect Miss Chen to be so formidable.

...

In a small courtyard in Xingzhou.

Nanny Liu hastily rushed over from Daming Prefecture.

Princess Jiahui had her stay in Daming Prefecture to watch Miss Lin’s actions, unexpectedly Third Master Du and Miss Lin were so useless, only making Chen Family Village lose some goods without managing to kill Chen Family Village’s people.

Eventually, the Princess must take action herself.

Nanny Liu glanced at Cui He: "Did you see Chen Family Village’s Xie Liangchen?"

Cui He reported: "I saw them, also went to the mountain to find those mountain bandits; three bandits died, seven or eight were injured, their second leader was shot dead by Xie Liangchen with a crossbow arrow."

Nanny Liu frowned: "Xie Liangchen?"

Cui He nodded, that Xie Liangchen was more formidable than they conjectured.

Nanny Liu drew a deep breath, it’s the Princess’s foresight, arranging death warriors beforehand to ensure everything is foolproof, no matter how skilled Xie Liangchen is, not a match for the death warriors.

Nanny Liu instructed Cui He: "Keep an eye on Chen Family Village’s people these two days, especially that Xie Liangchen."

Cui He responded.

Nanny Liu said: "Take those two death warriors down."

Cui He bowed and left the room, in the courtyard met two youths in black, when Cui He’s gaze fell on one, it couldn’t help but change.

Cui He remembered this youth, brought from the domain two years ago, back then he was full of vigour, determined to drive out remnants of the previous dynasty from the domain.

Unexpectedly, in just two years, the youth became expressionless, indifferent as a death warrior.